Component for a stackable chair

ABSTRACT

A component for a stackable chair comprises a cuboidal basic body ( 1 ) which has two leg stubs ( 2, 3 ) on one longitudinal side and two crossmember stubs ( 4, 5 ) on its other longitudinal side. The two ends ( 6, 7 ) of the basic body ( 1 ) are bevelled in the forward and rearward directions at the sides, and noses ( 8, 9 ) which run parallel to the leg stubs ( 2, 3 ) are provided on the underside of the basic body ( 1 ), and channels ( 10, 11 ) are provided above the noses ( 8, 9 ), on the top side. The chair comprises two identical components of this type. If such a chair is stacked vertically on another, identical chair, then the bevelled ends ( 6, 7 ) of the basic body ( 1 ) have a centring effect and bring the chair into the correct position, with the result that the noses ( 8, 9 ) on the chair stubs ( 2, 3 ) enter into the channels ( 10, 11 ) on the top side of the basic body of the lower chair.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the field of seating furniture, in particularto a component for a stackable chair for multipurpose use.

PRIOR ART

In many cases, for example for providing seating in large rooms, such asconference and assembly halls, it is necessary for it to be possible forthe chairs to be easily cleared away in a space-saving manner and thenalso set out again. Vertically or even horizontally stackable chairs arecustomary for this purpose.

A vertically stackable chair is known, for example, from DE 197 45 072A1. This known chair has a leg frame which comprises V-shaped tubes aslegs at the side and a transverse tube which connects the two side partsto one another at their vertices. Bearing protrusions are provided onthe underside of the transverse tube, and sliding blocks are provided atthe leg ends. During stacking, the upper chair rests on the lower chairby way of the bearing protrusions and the sliding blocks.

The known chair is not of particularly robust design. Furthermore, thechairs tend to jam during stacking and therefore have to be positionedvery carefully one upon the other. The stacks tend to be unstable.Special features, for example armrests or elements for interlinking thechairs with other chairs, as safeguards for a panic situation, are notpossible.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is thus to configure a stackable chair suchthat, on the one hand, straightforward, robust and reliable stacking ispossible but, on the other hand, it is also possible to provide specialfeatures such as armrests and panic bolts, although the chair isnevertheless cost-effective to produce and straightforward to assemble.

This object is achieved by a component having the features of claim 1and of the subclaims.

The invention is based on the idea of providing a stackable chair withtwo components which are connected via crossmembers and are in the formof “multifunctional joint components” which each comprise a cuboidalbasic body with bevelled ends which has noses on its underside andchannels on its top side. This component has stubs retaining the chairlegs and the crossmembers. During stacking, the oblique basic-body ends,which have a centring effect, bring the chair into the correct position,with the result that the noses of the upper chair enter into thechannels of the lower chair. This achieves stable seating for one chairon the other, even if the chairs are positioned without particular careone upon the other. The components according to the invention, that isto say the “multifunctional joint components”, may, furthermore, beararmrests, possibly with writing surfaces, or members for interlinkingthe chairs with other chairs, as panic bolts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in more detail hereinbelow with reference toan exemplary embodiment illustrated in drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view from the front left of a chair providedwith two components according to the invention,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view from above of the component according tothe invention,

FIG. 3 shows a view from beneath of the chair illustrated in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 shows the chair illustrated in FIG. 1, with an interlinkingmember as a panic bolt.

METHODS OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a chair with a seat panel 16, a backrest support 17and a backrest 18. On both sides, beneath the seat panel 16, the chairhas in each case one component according to the invention, a“multifunctional joint component”, in which case, of the component onthe right-hand side of the chair, only the rear, empty pocket 13 and thefront pocket with the armrest 23 can be seen.

Of the component on the left-hand side of the chair, it is possible tosee the basic body 1 and the front and rear leg stubs 2 and 3,respectively. The basic body 1 has the ends 6 and 7, which are bevelledat the sides. It is also possible to see the noses 8 and 9 and thechannels 10 and 11. The pockets 12 and 13 are also illustrated.

As can be seen, the four chair legs have been plugged into the leg stubs2 and 3. The armrest 23 has been plugged into the front pocket (notdesignated) of the component on the right-hand side of the chair, thispocket corresponding to the pocket 12 of the component on the left-handside of the chair. The other three pockets are not in use. They may beclosed, for example, by dummy stoppers.

FIG. 2 illustrates the component according to the invention in detail.In addition to the details which have already been described in relationto FIG. 1, the bearing protrusions 14 and 15 are also illustrated here,as are the crossmember stubs 4 and 5. The crossmember stubs 4 and 5 areplugged into the tubular crossmembers 19 and 20 illustrated in FIG. 3.

In the assembled state, the seat panel 16 is screwed to the bearingprotrusions 14, 15, which consist, for example, of rubber.

FIG. 4 once again shows the chair which has already been illustrated inFIG. 1, the interlinking member 22 at the rear left of the chair beingillustrated here. This interlinking member comprises a link plate 24with two stubs 25, of which one is plugged into the pocket 13. The otherstub 25 may then be plugged into the corresponding pocket of theneighbouring chair.

The component according to the invention may consist, for example, ofcast aluminium. However, it may also consist of a suitable plastic, forexample glass-fibre-reinforced polyamide, with metallic inserts.

As can be seen, the chairs can be stacked without any particular care;they can be, as it were, thrown together but, as a result of thebevelled ends 6, 7 of the basic body 1, said ends having a centringaction, the upper chair always ends up in the correct position, with theresult that the noses 8, 9 of the upper chair engage in thecorresponding channels 10, 11 of the lower chair. This produces a verystable chair stack, although the latter can also be taken apart againvery easily. The components are identical for both sides of the chair,and there is thus no need for any separate production, storage andassembly for the left-hand and right-hand sides. The chairs are thuscost-effective to produce and straightforward to assemble, but, ifrequired, can also be quickly and easily provided with extras such asarmrests and interlinking elements. It is also possible, for example,for seat numbers to be inserted into the pockets.

List of Designations:

-   1 Basic body-   2 First leg stub-   3 Second leg stub-   4 First crossmember stub-   5 Second crossmember stub-   6 First end of the basic body-   7 Second end of the basic body-   8 First nose-   9 Second nose-   10 First channel-   11 Second channel-   12 First pocket-   13 Second pocket-   14 First bearing protrusion-   15 Second bearing protrusion-   16 Seat panel-   17 Backrest support-   18 Backrest-   19 First crossmember-   20 Second crossmember-   21 Chair leg-   22 Interlinking member-   23 Armrest-   24 Link plate-   25 Stub of the interlinking member

1. Component for a stackable chair, characterized in that it comprises acuboidal basic body (1) which, on one vertical longitudinal side, hastwo leg stubs (2, 3), which are oriented obliquely in the forward andrearward directions, and, on its other vertical longitudinal side, hastwo horizontal crossmember stubs (4, 5), which are locatedperpendicularly to this latter longitudinal side, and the two ends (6,7) of the basic body (1) are bevelled in the forward and rearwarddirections at the sides, and noses (8, 9) which run parallel to the legstubs (2, 3) are provided on the latter in each case, on the undersideof the basic body, and channels (10, 11) are provided above the noses(8, 9), on the top side of the basic body (1).
 2. Component according toclaim 1, characterized in that pockets (12, 13) which are open at thetop are provided on the top side of the basic body (1), at the end ofthe leg stubs (2, 3).
 3. Component according to claim 1, characterizedin that in each case one bearing protrusion (14, 15) for the seat panel(16) of the chair is provided on the top side of the two ends (6, 7) ofthe basic body.
 4. Component according to claim 1, characterized in thatit consists of cast aluminium or plastic with metal inserts, e.g.glass-fibre-reinforced polyamide.
 5. Stackable chair with two componentsaccording to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the twocomponents are identical and are connected to one another by twocrossmembers (19, 20) fastened on the crossmember stubs (4, 5), in eachcase one chair leg (21) being fastened on the leg stubs (2, 3), and thecrossmembers (19, 20) running beneath the seat panel (16).
 6. Chairaccording to claim 5, characterized in that an armrest (23) is pluggedinto a front pocket (12) of the basic body.
 7. Chair according to claim5, characterized in that an interlinking member (22) for connecting thechair to another chair is plugged into a rear pocket (13).